Discussion: Team Moving Down to Major

Team Moving Down to MajorQuestion for SSUSA Staff: If a team is moved down from Major Plus to Major as a result of a successful petition does it then have the ability to add 3 new Major Plus players in 2012 and be within the rules? Thanks.

That will be a case-by-case decision. Generally, a team receiving a downward rating adjustment based on a successful appeal is prohibited from adding 'new' players with a history during the two previous seasons that exceeds the new team rating. Please send an e-mail to the SSUSA office with the specifics, including the team name and the proposed player roster addition names, for a definitive ruling.

First, does "two previous seasons" mean
1. both, all inclusive, start to finish, or
2. any part of either season, even if only for a day.

And secondly, if #2 above:
If players complete a season, do not win AAA worlds, and move on or team disbands, or both, then (dead) team is re-rated Major the next round of rating review, the following year, and the players never play Major, are they tagged Major? Or does the tag not/never apply until a player actually plays at the higher level, for any part of 1 season? All of one season? All of two seasons?

"Case-by-case decision" puts such a burden on SSUSA, and opens wide the "arbitrary" door. Team ratings is a huge challenge already. If the new rule is not precise and applied uniformly (case-by-case) it could very well cause even more trouble for all.

I still believe proper rating is the right way to go, protecting the 99% from the 1%, an admirable thing these days.

The reason to petition to be moved down from M+ to M is that you feel you can't compete at that level. If the appeal is granted and you then turn around and add "3" M+ players, wouldn't that make you about the best M team in the known Universe or at least now be able to compete at the M+ level?

Thanks SSUSA Staff for the reply. As I suspected, there is a grey area here contrary to Gary's "no-brainer" assertion. I would have to agree that the addition should be on a case-by-case basis since I know several players who are classified as Major Plus simply because they have played at that level in the past. If one looked at them individually, no way would they be rated Major Plus. I know a few guys who now play at the Major Plus level who have played AA, AAA and Major as well. And those players are good at every level.

Larry, I understand your point very clearly. There is definitely a gray area when it comes to classifying/re-classifying a player. You've played M+ for the better part of 15 years and, if anyone knows what a true M+ player looks like, it would be you.
As you probably know, SPA is making an effort to create such a list and have asked for help from players. It's difficult to create a clear cut definition of a M+ player. It's even more difficult to determine which side of the line some players might be.
The same problem exists for SSUSA... or any other association. It is highly subjective, which means that it is indeed 'gray area'.
BW

Gary19, not everything is as transparent as you constantly make them out to be. There are times when rules just cant be that clear or cut and dry.
I would suggest you make the convention in Florida this year and clear up all the rules for us naive 40 to 80 year old men.

Woody good to see you here now and then, always a pleasure reading your insights.
Hows the hip?

I agree with what you say about the rules, though part of that could be there are too many of them to cover too many situations that don't need to exist (e.g. snowbirds, 4 classifications instead of the 3 or only just 2 that would be sufficient).

But in this case, from the outside looking in, it seems very suspicious that this team appeals to move down and them immediately wants to pick up (load up?) 3 players form the classification they just left.

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